Jyoti Priya Mallick's Departure Signals Anti-Corruption Stance Ahead of Elections

According to a release from Raj Bhavan on Friday night, Jyoti Priya Mallick, who had been arrested in connection with the multi-crore food grains distribution "scam" in October of last year, was kicked out of the council of ministers and his portfolios were split between the irrigation minister, Partha Bhowmick, and the junior minister for forests, Birbaha Hansda.

"Hon'ble Governor Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose has relieved Shri Jyoti Priya Mallick, Minister in charge, Department of Forests and Department of Public Enterprises and Industrial Reconstruction, of his duties as Minister with immediate effect in accordance with Article 166(3) of the Constitution. He has been pleased to reallocate the departments to Partha Bhowmick and Birbaha Hansda on the advice of the Hon'ble Chief Minister," the Raj Bhavan release states.


The announcement states that Bhowmick was assigned the portfolio of public enterprises and industrial rebuilding, while Hansda was granted autonomous command of the department.

According to administration insiders, Raj Bhavan received a dossier with the proposed revisions on Thursday.

According to sources in the Trinamul party, Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of the party, was pressuring the chief minister to move against the leaders who had been detained on suspicion of corruption, which is why the shift is significant.

In advance of the Lok Sabha elections, Abhishek wanted to make a statement. It is crucial to convey to the voters that the party would not support anybody engaged in corrupt activities. To preserve the party's anti-corruption position, Balu should be removed if Partha (Chatterjee) can be removed, according to a top party leader.

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